Monday, March 21, 2011

On a scale where shows on one end are supposed to make you feel really bad and shows on the other are supposed to make you feel really good, The Chicago Code would be situated more towards the shows that are supposed to make you feel good. It's not entirely feel-good as most network procedurals are since the events that transpire are usually morally ambiguous, but the episodes never end on a feeling of pure doom.

The Chicago Code frequently reaches an optimal solution, as shown in this week's episode.The criminal in "Black Hand and the Shotgun Man" is a drug lord who chopped up lots of bodies and even killed cops in Mexico. On paper, he's a terrible guy, but for the most part, I was rooting for him--not necessarily for him to be free but for his family to be safe. And the final deal, Romero going to prison and his family going into protection, works out perfectly for everyone. As always, there is an uneasy tension lurking beneath, but it always goes away.

But I wonder how I would feel if the writers really made a concerted effort to make Romero seem like a bad guy. Yes, he kicks the cop in the crotch, he's said to have done heinous crimes, but we never actually see him do anything bad. As far as we can see, he's a guy who cares for his family, not a bloodthirsty drug lord.

Whereas Romero finds a solution for his family after being backed into a corner, Jarek still has room to move, so he spews a bunch of bullshit about his relationship. He's still sleeping with his wife, ignoring his fiance, and yells at Caleb for talking about it. In the context of relationships, Jarek is like Gibbons, make blind justifications for all his actions.

Last but not least, Gibbons, one of my favorite characters on television. Delroy Lindo continues to impress with his lines delivered so emphatically you want to believe in Gibbons. That also raises another question which has bugged me since Gibbons started having monologues (I think I might have said this already): does Gibbons really believe what he is saying and what context is it being said? If those are his real thoughts, Gibbons is delusional. If those are thoughts he records, such as in a diary, it stands to reason that he'd put down lies to make himself look better. In any case, it's hard not to be drawn to Gibbons, who puts so much vigor in his words, and yet does crime on a daily basis.

One thing we've seen Gibbons and his cronies do on a consistent basis is underestimate the cops. Gibbons believes he can push Liam out with his insinuations, but instead, it motivates Liam to redouble his efforts.